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For the first century of colonization, sufficient iron was a rare and valued commodity that could only be obtained through trade with Europe. North America, however, thanks to its substantial, yet largely untapped iron reserves, would become the heart of the world iron industry. Starting with New England's Lynn Ironworks, built in the mid-1640s, North America grew to become a renowned producer of iron - and eventually steel. By the early 1800s, the ironworks of the United States were among the most productive in the world and 100 years later, were the most productive.